Merlins Past
by Miss Enthusiasimal
Summary: Ok so I was sitting just thinking about stories and then it came to me; Merlin's past! So basically Merlin's Red Handkerchief is ruined and some very mysterious things happen. Review if you want future chapters! Rated T for future chapters. ON HIATUS
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Hello, this is my third fanfic and I hope you like. Bit of background info I came up with this story while listening to Evanescence-Missing. That's all now READ!

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Arthur POV

Merlin was late, again. I sat on the edge of my bed waiting for him to come. God, he was such a terrible manservant.

The door suddenly opened and in he came, finally.

"Merlin, what have I said about knocking!" I yelled to him

"Sorry, sire." He mumbled, to his feet.

"Come here, and help me get dressed, then go and get me some breakfast, we're going hunting today." I announced, he groaned.

"Stop moping and go do as I asked." I ordered

So he helped me get dressed and got me some food as I asked, then we went to the stables and I got on my horse and he his.

We galloped up to the edge of the forest just outside Camelot then went to a trot. For a person so uncoordinated he could ride a horse really well.

"So…what are we hunting today." Asked Merlin and I could tell by the tone that he was asking this for conversation rather than because he was actually eager, coz' he certainly wasn't.

"Whatever we can find and it'll be me who is actually hunting. Not you." I replied

"Of course not, sire."

When we first went hunting it was obvious that Merlin could not hunt. When I first found out where he grew up, I was surprised; I mean surely his father taught him to hunt! He would have had to learn to help supply his family with meat! But as it turned out he didn't learn. Now I came to think about it I've never asked him about his father. No better time than the present to ask him.

"Hey, Merlin?"

"Yes, Arthur?"

"I've met your mother and all but what happened to your father?"

I saw him stiffen.

"He left when I was thirteen." He said in a rather cold tone

"Ok." I said, confused and he seemed to relax a bit.

The hunt went great until the end when we were chasing a boar that had come our way. You weren't supposed to hunt boar without a large group of people, as Merlin so kindly told me, but I was eager for a challenge, and this was one I 'd never faced.

We were about to kill it when it charged at Merlin. The horse freaked and went up on its hindquarters, making Merlin fall.

It charged at him and I saw one of its tusks break through Merlin's stupid red handkerchief that he wore around his neck and rip upward as I threw my spear at him and he died.

"MERLIN! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?" I shrieked

I jumped down from my horse and ran to him. He was fine. There was only a small sliver of blood down his neck. He wasn't paying attention to me he was staring at the boar, with a look of deep pain in his eyes and features.

"God, Merlin you seriously scared me there."

His eyes snapped to mine and the pain I'd seen in his eyes and features vanished but I still saw a little in his eyes.

"Me! Scare the Prince of Camelot! Such a thing has never been heard of! I will have to tell the entire castle this story." He said in a joking tone

"You'll do nothing of the sort or I'll put you in the stocks, I imagine by now that you have made good friends with them, the amount of times your there."

"Well Ha Ha."

He got up and walked over to the boar and took his handkerchief from its tusk and looked at it. There was a whopping great whole in it. For some strange reason I saw a tear in his eye.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, frowning

"The sky, now we should probably get back."

"Alright."

And we rode back to Camelot.

As soon as we got back, Merlin excused himself, something about going to Gaius to make sure the cut wasn't deep and half ran back to his room.

That was odd, I frowned. Well whatever it is he'll tell me when he's ready not before. But I was so curious, so I caved and decided to follow him.

I walked to Gaius's office and inched the door open. There was no one there. I opened the door completely and strode to Merlin's room.

Ignoring my own rule about knocking and inching the door open a crack, I saw Merlin.

He was talking to the ceiling. He was holding that old handkerchief in his hands.

"I'm so sorry Madeline," he said and I saw a tear running down his cheek, "I tried but I failed. I kept it close like you said to, so I wouldn't be tempted but…it's ruined now I'm so sorry."

He sank to his knees and put his head on the bad and cried freely.

I wish I hadn't come. I hated seeing Merlin like this and tried to close the door quietly but it creaked.

Shoot!

"Arthur!" He exclaimed and swung the door open.

"Uh…Merlin, I can explain see I-"

"What are you doing here? How much did you see? Get out. GET OUT!"

And he slammed the door in my face.

Merlin's POV

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

Arthur had seen me crying, and maybe he saw me…No he would have said something if he had seen that. Why couldn't he have just kept his big fat nose out of my business? Oh Madeline…

But thoughts of Madeline just made my chest hurt so I stopped.

Arthur's POV

I ran to my room and sat down.

I'd seriously upset Merlin and as much as I hate to admit it, Merlin's my best friend and I hated seeing him…be so overcome by emotions, even if I never found out why.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

"Sire, I came to apologize." Asked Merlin as he came in.

"I should be the one apologizing, don't worry about it, you were upset."

There was an awkward silence.

"Okay, um…I'll just go now."

"Merlin I'll never speak of it."

"Okay thank-you."

And he left.

**A/N: Hope you liked it. There's more to come. REVIEW PLEASE!!!!! Lots of questions still to be answered like: Who is Madeline? And What happened to make Merlin think of his dad that way? All will be answered in future chapters. YIP YIP YIP! **


	2. Chapter 2

Arthur POV

The next day we acted as if nothing had happened but Merlin looked weird without the handkerchief on, he'd never taken it off before.

We were going hunting again, and I marveled, again, at how well Merlin could ride a horse. You'd never had guessed it from the way he walked and his lake of coordination.

"Arthur?" asked Merlin in a worried voice.

"Yeah?"

"I think I just saw someone?"

"Merlin, everyone's allowed in the forest."

"I know but, sire, this women I saw was bleeding, and she looked familiar."

"Bleeding you say?"

"Yes."

"Well, we'd better find her then."

So I got off my horse to pursue on foot, I saw signs of a person walking through. Broken twigs, footprints and such, I took note that this girl was barefoot.

"She went this way." I stated

We followed her tracks on foot, then when we rounded a corner we saw her, or rather we saw the back of the cloak she was wearing, which was bright, blood red, she had her back turned to us.

"Hello, I'm Arthur and this is Merlin, are you all right."

"Oh, I'm fine, young prince. However I don't believe Merlin is."

"Merlin? But he's fine, aren't you?" I asked Merlin

"Yes."

"No your not, on the surface yes but not deep down." She said

"Oookkkkaaaayyyyy, who are you?" I asked

But all she did was laugh.

"Merlin didn't you say you recognize her?" I said, but there was no reply. "Merlin?"

I tuned around to see why he hadn't answered and I saw him frozen.

"Merlin? What have you done to him?" I shouted at the figure before me.

"He and the rest of the world are stuck in time."

"You're a sorcerer." I stated loudly

"No shit Sherlock."

"How dare you speak to me like that? Turn around you coward and face me."

"Okay geez there is no need to shout, plenty of time for that later."

"What do you mean? Face me I say!"

And so she turned around lowering her cowl as she turned.

I gasped audibly.

She had jet-black hair that was hanging loosely around her heart shaped face (it was shoulder length) **(A/N kind of emo like, you know heavily layered, choppy.)**, she was small in stature and point-ish features, she was wearing a dusty, ragged peasants gown. She was quite beautiful.

But that was not what had made me gasp.

She had a black eye, she was extremely dirty, there were bruises on her neck and arms, and on her wrists were several long deep cuts that were bleeding.

"What the hell happened to you?" I exclaimed

"That is what I am about to show you."

"Show me? How can you show me?"

She walked up to me and touched my forehead with her index and middle finger.

"Like this." She said

"Wha…"

I felt like I was falling and falling down into some strange white mist, then Plunk I was in the middle of a small village. Merlin's old village.

Dong

"Huh…"

I turned around to see a door open to and old hut and saw millions of little kids come running out. Among them I saw a young boy, probably no more than six years old, half-running, half-stumbling to a house only a little way away, with a mop of black hair on his head.

Merlin.

And somehow I knew, I was in the past.

**A/N: Okay well thankyou for everyone who reviewed. I apologize for it being so short and for making you all wait so long but as always I have an excuse. We are currently moving my room around so we've been going through all my stuff like as in all of it, moving big heavy furniture and such and then I have to practice two songs because I have to sing at my cousins wedding half-way through October and so I have been practicing with my sis all day and now I am typing this. So as you can see I've been busy. It is so short because the next chapter should have a lot in it and I wanted to have a short one before the real action begins. Now this author's note is becoming longer than the chapter so time for some incentive to make you willing to wait for the next chapter; MERLIN'S PAST WILL BE REVEALED TO ARTHUR da da dum! And it's **_**not **_**pleasant. Review please! YIP YIP YIP!**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Okay I know that this chapter has been a long time coming but I have been extremely busy and then I had an awesome idea that I just had to type and now it's up and running so its all good. Now this is the third installment of Merlin's Past!

I was completely astounded, running towards his house was Merlin, and he was six-years-old!

I smiled to myself, so the sorceress that put me here wants me to see Merlin's past, well this ought to be fun.

I followed the six-year-old Merlin to his house, I saw that he was holding a piece of paper with a lot of hand prints on it, all different colours.

It was good for a six-year old.

We reached his house that I recognized from when we stayed there, though it was in better shape now.

He opened the door and walked inside and I saw, for the first time, Merlin's dad.

He had the same colour hair as Merlin only it was cropped short rather than all floppy; he had a hard sort of face with a scar that went from his eye to his mouth, he was probably quite handsome once.

He was quite bulky, too.

"Daddy look, look, I made a pweety picture." Said Merlin, holding up the picture

"And what use is this in the world! This _pretty_ picture, God you can't even talk properly, what are they teaching you at that damn, mother fucking school? You disgust me! You useless brat!" He yelled and there stood Merlin with tears in his eyes, his lip started to tremble.

"Oh you gonna start crying now are you? Pathetic!" and he punched Merlin in the jaw.

At this Merlin started bawling. And why wouldn't you when your only six and your dad punches you, honestly this man is horrible.

He then took the picture and tore it in two, a look of utmost disgust on his face.

Merlin's mother crawled out from her corner; I'd been so focused on the horrific scene before me that I hadn't noticed her.

She went over to Merlin and he jumped into her arms, a big bruise beginning forming on his cheek, he was still bawling.

"It's alright, it's a lovely picture," she crooned "You just caught daddy at the wrong time."

And she rocked Merlin to sleep.

Everything turned blindingly white and suddenly it was a different day, a different time. It was midday and I was in a meadow. I was still appalled that Merlin's father did that, then I saw Merlin, he looked thirteen now, there was a new bruise on his cheek, his lip was cut and there was several bruises on his arms and legs.

He was watching the other boys teasing a girl.

No, this isn't like Merlin, I know him, he's going to go and help the girl.

He frowned, took a deep breath and started towards them.

"Hey," he shouted, "leave her alone!"

The boys turned towards Merlin.

"Well isn't it little Merlin, I'm surprised your dad hasn't chained you up yet, little runt like you doesn't deserve to walk freely."

He ignored them, "What's your name?" he asked the girl

"Madeline"

"Come on, let's get away from these jerks."

The boys made angry motions, but didn't do anything, I wondered why they didn't try and stop him, if they wanted to they could.

He and the girl walked away.

Madeline. Oh my Lord, Madeline! This must be Madeline. Hang on she looks familiar…

Oh no, it couldn't be the sorceress.

I felt like shouting a warning to Merlin, Don't trust her she's a sorceress.

But of course I was in the past and could not be seen or heard so shouting wouldn't help.

"So what's with the bruises, you don't look like the type of guy who gets into fights?" asked Madeline timidly

"I don't purposely get into fights, but my dad he…has a temper."

"My dad too, only he doesn't only get violent"

"What? I didn't say anything about getting violent." He tripped over his own feet when he said this.

"Oh come on, it's obvious, the bruises, cuts and the shouting that I could hear from the other side of the village, last night, we just moved here. And the fact that you a have two left feet."

"Huh? I understand all the injuries but what does me having two left feet got to do with it?"

"In my old village, there was this kid, one day he was out and some guy hit him so hard on the head with a stick, it caused what they called 'brain damage' at least that's what the physician called it in the town over the way. He had two left feet for his entire life, I had to help carry him to the town and I asked the physician why he had it and not simply a bruise and he said that it was because he was so young, it rattled his brain and the skull wasn't thick enough to protect it, so it messed it up a bit and so his coordination was out of whack. I asked him whether other things could cause it and what the other symptoms might be, and he told me that it could be a blow to the head at a young enough age, or getting thrown around at a young enough age, violence really was it, some are just born that way but this can cause it also, and that the other symptoms were too horrible to tell a nine-year-old girl, anything sound familiar?"

I watched Merlin stare at Madeline, oh my God.

He…it was Merlin's that…its his fault that…Oh My God!

Merlin nodded

"See, now my dad didn't start hitting me 'till I was ten so my skull was fully formed so it doesn't hurt me internally." She said

"Are you always so out-there with this stuff?"

"Always"

"Then why hasn't anyone done something about it?"

"Because you're the first person to listen"

The white emerged and disappeared just as quickly as it had came, and then I was in the forest on the edge of the village, I saw Merlin limping through the tree's and started to follow him. He led me to a small clearing, there was Madeline waiting for him. She turned around when she heard him and smiled, she looked like she'd been run over by several horses.

"Hey" she said

"Hey" he replied

They took in each other's injuries, and then they both lay down in the long grass

"You tell first" he said

"Nup you first"

"No-"

"Merlin just tell me and then I'll tell you mine"

"Well alright, basically I honoured our pact to stop, and I stood up to my dad, but he kinda threw me against the wall and my mum was screaming and… well that's how I got the limp"

Obviously these two had gotten to know each a lot.

"Well I honoured the pact too, and when my dad told me to get into bed I told him "Screw you" and he said that's exactly what you _will _do, unless you want a beating, and I told him "I'd prefer the beating" so that's how I got the bruises" she finished

"You right?"

"Yeah, besides the beating he didn't touch me"

"No I meant have you stopped cutting, we said we'd stop cutting before someone noticed."

"Yes, have you?"

"Yes"

"Awesome"

A/N: So lots to think about there, if you didn't get it here it is- Merlin's dad was an abusive parent, henceforth the reason Merlin is such a cluts and is so close to his mum. And his dad was so bad that he used to cut himself, as did Madeline, only her dad wasn't only abusive physically but sexually as well! Wow that's some messed up life you got their Madeline! I'm sorry for the Australian spelling but it's reflex! Look out for the next chapter.

_**Spoiler- If you want to get the gist of what's happening or you've begun to lose interest then look up the song Madeline by Tickle Me Pink and listen to it or just listen to the lyrics, either is good!**_


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur POV

Oh. My. Frickin'. God. Merlin used to _cut_ himself! And he didn't tell me! Seriously! But this still doesn't explain how he acted…but poor Madeline!

I can't believe it…Merlin had such a terrible life and I've just made it worse! I've bullied and belittled him…

Just then another landscape reformed…but I don't want to hear or see anymore of this! I just want to go home and make sure Merlin never does that again!

But the sorceress wasn't listening and so I watched the scene that came before me.

Merlin was older now, he was at least ten years old, and he was in the same clearing.

He seemed…anxious for some reason…like he was facing Gallows Pole…now why would he be feeling that way?

Then Madeline came through the clearing, but unlike last time she didn't look like she'd been run over by several horses…just a couple of bruises…Merlin looked worse for ware, but he seemed to be ignoring them, even though they must be very painful.

"Madeline" said Merlin with a small smile, he started towards her but she crossed her arms and took a step backwards.

"Is it true?" she asked coldly

"Is wh-what tr-true?" he stuttered

"You know what" she said

"Y-y-yes" said Merlin and he hung his head

"Show me" said Madeline.

Show you what? What's true?

Merlin nodded, he closed his eyes and screwed up his face, he gasped, Madeline's frown disappeared and she stepped forwards to make sure Merlin was alright.

"Fine, fine" he mumbled, clutching his side

"You sure?" she asked

"Yes"

He straightened up and he pointed at the ground, I saw his eyes flash gold and then…amazingly, tiny flowers burst forth from the ground. Some stopped growing when they were tiny, but others grew taller, they unpicked themselves and wreathed together into a tiara-wreath of flowers, held together by grass. It floated upwards and landed on Madeline's head.

Shit.

Merlin…_Merlin_ was a sorcerer…but this was impossible.

I continued to watch through a haze of astonishment. How many times had Merlin used his magic at Camelot…how many times had he used it on me?

Merlin watched Madeline examining the tiara in astonishment too. Then she did something that surprised both Merlin and myself…she ran up and gave him a huge hug.

He hugged her back, I heard her whisper "thanks for not being afraid of me" and then the mist surrounded me once more.

A/N-Oh My Flying Geese that chapter is short. This is the longest I have gone without typing anything! And it's the holidays too! Wow. Okay sorry it's so short but I'm working on about ten other stories at the same time, so hopefully I will be updating all of them. So for my excuses I have that the computer in the shed, which is where I was working on some other stories, crashed. Yes crashed. All the data on it was lost. But thankfully, I type most of my stories on the 'Little Computer' as we call it. The one with no internet anyway. I was planning on doing it last weekend, but my dad got sick and had to go into hospital, he's out now, but I couldn't get on the computer for a while. Anyway, I'll update ASAP.


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